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Montpellier launches its terrible marathon

2021-05-09T09:23:09.642Z


The MHR begins this Saturday a series of six matches in 21 days. An insane calendar that makes people scream in the Hérault.


We finish the horses well… In Montpellier, this will take on all its meaning.

Reception in La Rochelle this Saturday, reception in Toulon on Tuesday evening, trip to Paris against Stade Français on Saturday 15 May, Challenge Cup final at Twickenham against Leicester on Friday 21, trip to Bordeaux four days later (Tuesday 25 ) and, finally, reception of Aviron Bayonnais, a crucial match for the maintenance, on Saturday 29. Six matches in twenty-one days.

And long live the infernal cadences ...

The reason for this traffic jam? Two matches postponed due to Covid-19 and a qualification for the European final. Deprived of a fallback solution, the NRL therefore filled the calendar during the week. Two matches on a Tuesday evening, and too bad if we keep repeating that, in a sport as traumatic as rugby, the health of the players must be the top priority. TO MHR to manage its workforce, to run, even if it means skipping one or two meetings. Except that Montpellier, 12th in the Top 14 (with 40 points, tied with Bayonne and ahead of Pau, 36 points), does not have this leisure with its place to save in the elite.

Thursday, at a press conference, Philippe Saint-André was vituperated.

"Some make decisions, they never had to be in a rugby locker room," struck the former coach of the XV of France.

To avoid this marathon, he had proposed to delay the final stages.

Refuse.

He then suggested not to play the two late games using equalization.

Also refused.

It’s scandalous.

We're talking about protecting the players and, in the end, we're going to play I don't know how many matches in a short time ...

"

Vincent Rattez

"The first thing when you are an educator and coach is the health, the recovery of your players", underlined, rightly, the manager of the MHR, recalling that the world regulations imposed on a player a minimum of five days between two matches and that that of the National League prohibits more than one match during the week per month. “I understood of course that we could not change the championship and that there were established rules that we could change, including that of one game week by month. Apparently, some rules can be changed, others cannot… ”

Very recovered, PSA concluded, bitter: "There are some who run a 100m, we run a 110m hurdles."

With the prospect of losing everything.

A European title and keeping it in Top 14. “It's scandalous,” said winger Vincent Rattez during this press conference.

We're talking about protecting the players and, in the end, we're going to play I don't know how many matches in a short period of time.

More cleaver matches.

We are not machines.

The season is already long enough to, in addition, put matches in the week after only two days of rest… ”

The substitute holders and the substitutes from the outset

So much for the protests. Which will therefore not be enough to change this infernal calendar. "We will have to comply and do the best we can by managing the workforce," recognizes Rattez. It starts with this first installment of three meetings in seven days. With a workforce to mix, to run as wisely as possible. “Toulon or Bordeaux during the week, I can't afford to go with fifteen Hopes. We are talking about maintaining there, about the future of the club, ”warns Saint-André.

Who is counting on an ideal scenario. Two victories against La Rochelle and Toulon in four days could, according to the results of Pau and Bayonne, ensure the maintenance. For a stalemate against the Stade Français Paris in order to let the holders prepare as best as possible for the shock against the Leicester Tigers. He therefore concocted a mixed team for the coming of La Rochelle. A three-quarter line that looks a lot like that aligned last Saturday against Bath in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup (only Reinach replaces Paillaugue behind the scrum and the English winger Ibitoye is established in place of Tisseron), but a pack remodeled: the starters on the bench and the starting substitutes wholesale, the young Canadian second-row Tyler Duguid (20) honoring his first start.

If this dream scenario does not come true, PSA will then have to calculate the playing time of his troop down to the minute.

And pray that this insane sequence does not fill his infirmary.

Not to mention the Covid-19 ...

Read also

  • Stade Rochelais changes all its holders against Montpellier, Plisson and Retière back

  • Ranking Top 14 2020/2021

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2021-05-09

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